August 26, 2013
Universal Access Program Includes Expanded Service for 13,250 Students
(Troy, NY) - The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) and Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) launched a new universal access transportation partnership beginning, August 26, 2013. The agreement covers two academic years and allows HVCC students to use their student ID to access the entire CDTA route network including STAR and the Northway Xpress commuter service.
CDTA and HVCC started promoting the program’s benefits to students in January through bus and shelter advertising, social media, direct mail, on campus signage, events and orientation activities. As a result, HVCC-based boardings increased nearly 25% during the first six months of this year. A new video highlighting these new transportation services can be seen at www.hvcc.edu/cdta.
HVCC President Drew Matonak said, “Our partnership with CDTA makes perfect sense on many levels. It offers students greater access to Hudson Valley’s Troy campus, extension sites in Albany and Malta, and several off-campus locations. Nine of ten Hudson Valley students live within the area serviced by CDTA, and ridership grows every semester. Thousands of students will benefit from the universal access program which provides added value, convenience and mobility.”
Route #224 (Albany-Troy via I-90 & I-787) and seven day a week service on Route #85 (Waterford-Troy) provide direct connections to HVCC’s main campus. Several other bus routes provide additional, easy connections. Service on Route #224 has been expanded to prepare for the increased student ridership with mid-day service extending to 30 minutes during the student ridership peak time hours between 10am – 3:30pm. Several CDTA routes travel to HVCC’s 11 education sites around the region.
“We are excited to partner with HVCC to provide students with unlimited rides to connect them to their classes, to jobs, and destinations across the region,” said CDTA Chairman David M. Stackrow. “We have expanded service to the HVCC campus to address the increased ridership typically seen in the first year our universal access arrangements.”
HVCC’s Environmental Sustainability Committee identified a need for transportation services and sought support for the program through a student-driven advocacy campaign.
The college's Faculty Student Association has offered reduced fare CDTA bus tickets since the 2001-02 academic year. More than 3,000 reduced fare tickets were sold on campus this past year. Several campus organizations partnered to advance universal access to CDTA busing at the college. HVCC’s Environmental Sustainability Committee identified a need for transportation services and sought support for the program through a student-driven advocacy campaign. The college's Student Senate, Academic Senate and Faculty Student Association voted to approve new initiative.
HVCC represents one of the largest partners for CDTA’s universal access program that offers discounted wholesale contracts based on a bulk number of rides. Currently CDTA works with over a dozen colleges and businesses to provide unlimited access for students and employees and is working to expand its program for companies and organizations interested in growing their business and providing their employees with convenient and affordable access to jobs as an effective recruitment and retention tool.
HVCC is the second largest higher education institution in the Capital Region, enrolling more than 13,250 students in 75 academic programs. CDTA has similar universal access partnerships with the University of Albany, RPI, the College of Saint Rose, Russell Sage, Skidmore College, Schenectady County Community College, Branford Hall Career Institute, Siena College, and the Albany College of Pharmacy. Universal access arrangements constitute 20% of CDTA’s ridership. Last year, CDTA exceeded 15.5 million annual boardings, a record ridership since the early 1980’s and expects to hit over 16 million this year.
To learn more about HVCC’s new transportation partnership, visit www.HVCC.edu. For information on CDTA services and Universal Access programs, visit www.cdta.org.
About HVCC
Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers 75 associate degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Sciences; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and workforce and academic preparation programs offered through the Educational Opportunity Center. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it enrolls nearly 13,250 students, and is a leader in distance learning initiatives and worker retraining. Hudson Valley has 75,000 alumni.
About CDTA
The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) was created in 1970 by the New York State Legislature, as a public benefit corporation, to provide regional transportation services by rail, bus, water and air. Today, CDTA is the premier mobility provider in the Capital Region, operating regular route bus service, shuttle systems and paratransit services. CDTA owns and operates the Rensselaer Rail and Saratoga Springs Train Stations. CDTA also operates the Northway Commuter Service between Saratoga County and downtown Albany. Today, over 640 people work at CDTA to deliver a transit system that serves more than 800,000 people who live and work at CDTA, transporting more than 50,000 customers each weekday.
